Broken Bones
by Light1
Summary: Maria is tired of Alucard hiding from her so sets out to force him to face her.


**Broken Bones**

Disclaimer: Castlevania belongs to Konami, not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic; it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Alucard . . . Then he'd be mine.

Rating: PG-13

Part: one of one

Setting: Post SOTN

Authoress note: Half is less than we think.

 **Broken Bones**

He had told her not to follow him.

"He's always telling me not to follow him," Maria grumbled. "I'm starting to feel like an unwelcome puppy."

"He must have his reasons," Annette said. Maria snorted, and Anette tutted quietly. "When you make gestures like that it's no wonder he avoids you."

"He's not avoiding me," Maria said. "It's more like he's hiding from me."

"Isn't it the same thing?" Annette said.

"No," Maria rolled her eyes. "Avoiding someone is something you do when you don't like them. I don't feel like he dislikes me, it's more like he's afraid of me."

"I'm afraid of you," Annette said. Maria raised an eyebrow. "Your snorting terrifies me; heaven forbid someone else should hear you do it."

"I'm serious Annette," Maria said. "I don't know what to do, I've been completely open with him, I've told him things, secrets from my life that only you know. I've encouraged him to do the same, but he won't."

"Maybe he's not that comfortable yet?" Annette said. "You're asking a lot; not everyone is as open as you are."

"I'm not asking him to tell me everything," Maria said. "Just to make an effort. For crying out loud, I don't even know his name!"

"It's Alucard," Annette said. Maria wrung her hands in despair.

"No, it's not." She snapped. "No one would be that cruel to call their child their own name backwards; it's stupid." Annette raised an eyebrow. "Fine maybe Dracula would be that cruel, but his mother wouldn't have let it happen."

"You never know," Annette said.

"Would you have let Richter name Little Josephine 'Rethcir'?" Maria said. Annette laughed and shook her head.

"Exactly." Maria stood up. "I've had it up to hear with it; I'm going after him."

"Maria he's only out in the forest. He'll be back soon you can have it out with him when he comes back." Annette said, but Maria had already slammed the door.

She was deep in the forest before she started thinking this was not a fantastic idea. She had learned to track from her father and was as good at it as any of the village hunters, but even so, she was only human, and Alucard was not. Fortunately for her, he did not know he was being hunted, so he had taken little care and had left a clear enough trail for her to follow. But still, no matter how careful she was she was loud.

She was quiet enough for hunting the occasional deer; she had even hunted wolves with Richter before and knew she was quiet enough for that. But Alucard was no deer, his senses were sharp, and Maria knew she was not quite enough to hunt a vampire by stealth. But she did not stop following him. She managed to catch up to him quicker than she had expected. He was clearly in no hurry.

She waited for a moment after she spotted him, keeping her distance. When he moved, she moved keeping a close watch on where she put her feet and how heavy she breathed. He had promised to bring back something big enough for the family. That meant Richter, Annette, himself, herself and the children, Josephine, Lisa and Henry. That was seven mouths to feed, so he was clearly after something bigger than a rabbit or two. Alucard stopped moving, and Maria recognised the spot, it was close to the river and was often used by a local heard of deer. Alucard had stopped further back from the point most hunters would stop, but this did not surprise Maria when you had his senses you did not need to be so close.

She watched from a distance as he took a long look around before slowly removing his belts. She blinked at this, attached to his belt was his sword, a few knives and a small collection of other knick-knacks he carried with him in case of attack. He hung the belt and everything attached to it on a tree branch and stretched. He removed his cloak as well and leaving it on the tree. Maria frowned, what was he planning to do by disarming himself? Talk the deer into coming home for dinner? She watched as he settled himself down to wait. She dared not move and hoped they wouldn't be still for long. Unlike the immortal, she could not keep perfectly still and silent for hours on end. Fortunately, someone up in heaven smiled down at her and Alucard moved after only thirty minutes or so.

She watched him move carefully down the slope which leads to the river. He had spotted something, and Maria took a moment to admire how good his eyesight must be either that or his hearing, or his sense of smell. She sighed very quietly and tried to squash all feelings of jealousy. He had so much to offer to the world, and he hated himself, it made her want to slap him. Slap him for not appreciating himself and for not understanding that he amazed and fascinated her. Pushing the irritation from her mind she carefully followed until he stopped again.

He was intensely focused on something ahead of him, so still she couldn't be sure he was breathing. Then, with no warning or sign, he raced forward. She watched him run, he moved like water, smooth, easy and fast, hurtling towards his target. She felt safe to stand up now, and move forward less carefully; he was so intent on his target. She could see his target now, a stag, clearly a young buck, foolish and inexperienced. The buck saw its predator to late and could not move fast enough. They both went down in a flurry of antlers, fur and cloth. Maria heard the stag scream, heard something crack and Alucard cry out.

The sound went right through her, before hitting her like a kick to the stomach and she was moving. She was not as graceful as he had been, she tripped and fell twice and cursed colourfully. But she reached him in moments. She couldn't see what had happened because as she reached him, he was already fighting her, trying to push her back. She fought him, hardly hearing what he was saying as she looked down, the stag was dead, its neck twisted its head facing it's back. But Alucard's leg was also facing the wrong way.

"Lady, please," she watched him try and cover the wound, unable to meet her gaze. He was acting like she had walked in on him in the bath rather than walked in on him badly hurt.

"You're hurt," she snapped over his fussing.

"It will heal, but please go." He pushed her again, gentle but firm. There was a sickening crack, and she saw that he was right, his leg was twisting itself around the right way before her eyes. It was amazing.

"For God's sake!" she snapped, "I am not afraid of you, I'm not disgusted by you, or any other kind of unpleasant emotion." She took a deep breath. "That's a lie, I am bloody angry at you, but that's it."

"But…" he managed, falling silent under the force from her glare.

"You are an utter twit!" she said. He blinked at her, clearly not used to being yelled at "Now shut up and sit bloody still or I swear I will slap you." She turned to look at his leg, it was pulling itself into the right position to heal, but it was slow. With a sigh, she glared at him, moved around to be at a better angle and took his ankle in one hand and his knee in the other. "What's that?!" she forced fear into her face and looked behind him. As he turned to see what she was referring to she twisted his leg hard. He cried out in surprise and pain and instantly she felt guilty but swallowed it down.

"That was for not trusting me," she grumbled and was amazed when she heard him laugh in response. She looked at him and saw the pain fading from his eye to be replaced by relief and a little wonder.

"You are not disturbed by this at all, are you?" he gestured to the rather grim situation of his previously twisted and broken leg. His leg now faced the correct direction and was whole once more. Maria sighed and leaned forwards and kissed him. "What was that for?" he asked

"For being a twit, Alucard," She answered and was delighted to see the smile it inspired. Perhaps now he understood.

"Adrian, my name is Adrian."

 **End**

Thank you for reading, please review, I'd love to hear what you think of the fic.

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